WILSON GETS RM15.5 M IN DEFAMATION SUIT
SYDNEY: Hollywood actor Rebel Wilson won A$4.5 million (RM15.5 million) in damages yesterday following a lengthy defamation case against a publisher that portrayed her as a serial liar.
The 37-year-old Pitch Perfect star successfully sued Bauer Media over magazine articles that claimed she had lied about her age and background to further her acting career.
She ended up walking away with what was said to be the country’s largest-ever payout for defamation.
Bauer argued the allegations made in Woman’s Day, Australian Women’s Weekly and OK Magazine in 2015 were true and denied they had damaged her reputation.
Justice John Dixon said Bauer had “acted in its own corporate interests to secure improved circulation, or increased views/hits” in the ruling at the Supreme Court of Victoria.
Throughout the three-week trial, an often-emotional Wilson claimed she was sacked from DreamWorks animated feature films Trolls and Kung Fu Panda 3 following the articles.
“Bauer Media took me down with a series of grubby and completely false articles,” Wilson said after winning the case in June.
“Far too often, I feel the tabloid magazines and the journalists that work for them don’t abide by professional ethics.
“I can only describe their conduct as disgusting and disgraceful, and I’m very glad that the jury has agreed with me. And with the unanimous and overwhelming verdict, they have sent a very clear message.”
The Sydney-born actor, who was seeking A$7 million in damages, had previously said she would give the money to charity and the local film industry. AFP